The Ekiti State government has sealed four commercial Banks and other structures over violation of environmental laws in the state.
Addressing journalists, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs Tosin Aluko, said the operation, which was in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service, has given the banking sector windows of opportunities but not effectively utilized.
She said the move was to restore sanity in the state, adding that the sealed premises would only be reopened when the owners did the needful.
According to her, “The state governor has approved the enforcement of state environmental protection laws as it affects environmental impact assessment and audit. All corporate and private business owners who violated this law will have their business facilities sealed off and they will be re-opened on payment of approved fines and procurement of EIA audit and assessment certification.
“We have written to them, all the banks and private sectors, the malls, the eateries. We have given them 43-day notice and none of them responded to our letter, that is why we are here to seal up the building. They were meant to pay their dues and have refused to pay since they have violated the law they have been sanctioned; that is why we have sealed up their banks.”
Also, the General Manager, Ekiti State Environmental Protection Agency (EKSEPA), Olukayode Adunmo emphasised that obtaining the EIA certification is mandatory for any building owners as it is in line with the Ekiti State Government Law which is also in the Environmental Protection Agency law.
Adunmo said, “Having gone through our records in conjunction with Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service who told us that they can’t find their name on the website of the state government to have paid the necessary due for EIA Environmental impact laws and audit, we have to commence this activity to further certify whether they actually did it or they evaded the content of the law.
“That is the reason for the operation this morning, virtually all the banks have not responded, we will go to shopping malls and other private businesses in town, we have our list with us and I think we are covering about 34 different facilities in the first phase of this operation.”
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